Chapter 2 - The Team Gathers

The day before we are supposed to head out to Skardu, the remainder of the team start coming in. I drive to Lahore to pick up Rich, Tanya, Erin and Jeff who come in from JFK and Ignacio flies in to Islamabad from Mexico via London. We try to fly to Skardu on the 9th of August but the flight is cancnelled after we are all checked in and mentally ready to go. It did however five our folks a little time to decompress before going on another whilrwind trip. It also helped that Saadia whipped up a great brunch on our return from the airport. The rest of the day was shopping, visiting ATM's and going out to dinner at BarBQ Tonite.

On the M2, The highway linking Islamabad to Lahore. It is only a few hundred yards outside Pakistan! All of a sudden, vehicles obey traffic rules and everything is organized. The police issue speeding tickets without concern for the status of the car owner.
Driving through the Salt Range about 70 Km out of Rawalpindi. This forms the edge of the Potwar plateau. After descending this you are firmly in the plains of the Punjab.
The radar guns are out. Our driver Fareed Khan who will zip around Pindi without a concern made sure his seatbelt was on and he was within 5 km of the speed limit!
The standard Pakistani truck.
Flooding in the plains of Punjab was widespread. You just had to look on either side of the highway.
The Punjab has five rivers flowing through it and can become one big flood plain.
More flooding.
A slightly drier district.
The M2.
The Faisalabad junction.
Dark clouds start gathering again as I near Lahore.
The peculiar Lahori rickshaw. The newer version has a motorbike in front. Usually itis a scooter.
Another rickshaw goes by.
This is the typical scooter rickshaw...quite distinct from the motorcycle rickshaw.
You can fit eight people in there...I have counted.
The other form of transportation in Lahore, the donkey cart.
The Lahore International Airport otherwise know as the Allama Iqbal Airport. It is less than 10 years old and they did a nice job on it.
The Lahore International Airport otherwise know as the Allama Iqbal Airport. It is less than 10 years old and they did a nice job on it.
Waiting for the flight with Zaheer. He was my assistant coach when I coached the National Team. Just an all around great guy and a very good rower and coach.
Jeff and Tanya went off in the wrong direction and had to run the gauntlet of greeters at the airport before we found them. Erin and Rich turned in the right direction!
Out at the parking lot. Zaheer and his friend escorted us to the freeway so we wouldn't get lost.
Fareed Khan left with the luggage in the small van while it fell on me to drive the four back to Pindi.
Putting away the luggage.
Getting money changed since the next morning we would be heading for Skardu...at least if the weather held.
Back in Pindi sitting with Mummy in the kitchen.
Ready to head to the airport for the Skardu flight.
We had a ton of luggage since we were also having to take a lot of packaged food since Skardu was running short.
Helping the PIA staff to tag.
The different tail schemes that PIA uses.
The different tail schemes that PIA uses.
The different tail schemes that PIA uses.
Going over the map once again.
Iza interviews Erin to find out more about her. Shortly after this, PIA announced the flight was cancelled and we had to go down, get our 28 bags and head back to the house very dejected.
The proper way to transport cardboard.
That night we landed up at BarBQ tonite again. Asad loves hanging out with Jeff. Followed him around all night.
Sitting with Mummy.
Rich get the full plate of Chicken Tikkas....wasted.
Chicken Tikkas.
Ignacio learns about Pakistani food.
Erin looking not so bad for flying from JFK to Lahore!